Council Bluffs Optimist Club Celebrates 60 Years of Service with Leadership Transition and Major Community Donation
Major Community Donation
September 26, 2025
Contact: Rachel Tew
President, Council Bluffs Optimist Club
C: 402-679-5531 | CBOptimistClub@gmail.com
Council Bluffs, Iowa — The Council Bluffs Optimist Club, a proud chapter of Optimist International, will
celebrate 60 years of service to the community with a special “Changing of the Guards” event on Sunday,
September 28, from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM at the Warehouse Event Venue, in Council Bluffs. The evening
will honor outgoing president Rachel Tew for her two years of dedicated leadership and welcome incoming
president Patrick Henry as he steps into the role.
The event will also serve as an open invitation to potential new members who share the club’s mission of
fostering optimism and service in the community. A highlight of the evening will be a $75,000 check
presentation to West Fair, supporting their upcoming campaign renovation project: an investment in the
future of local youth and families.
“The Optimist Creed reminds us to ‘give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no
time to criticize others,’ and to ‘be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your
own,’” said Rachel Tew. “Serving as president has been a profound privilege, and an opportunity to build
on the legacy of those who came before me. Our donation to West Fair is a powerful reflection of the values
we hold dear and the impact we strive to make in our community.”
In addition to the West Fair contribution, the Council Bluffs Optimist Club will highlight further donations
to several local organizations, including Metro Area Youth Foundation, Trailblazers, Council Bluffs
CARES, and others, underscoring the club’s commitment to uplifting and strengthening our youth.
Founded on the principles of the Optimist Creed, the Council Bluffs Optimist Club promotes active interest
in good government, respect for law, friendship among all people, and the belief that giving oneself in
service to others will advance the well-being of humankind. As the club enters its seventh decade, it remains
“too strong for fear, too noble for anger, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.”
For more information about the event or to learn how to become a member, please contact the Council
Bluffs Optimist Club at cboptimistclub@gmail.com.
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Join Us Weekly
The Council Bluffs Optimist Club meets Thursday mornings at 7:00 AM at Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home.
All are welcome to attend and discover how optimism, service, and community come together to make a
lasting difference. Whether you're looking to get involved, give back, or simply connect with others who
believe in the power of positivity, we’d love to have you join us.